Microsoft's push to make the Surface line of tablet PCs the dominant Windows tablet continues with the release of the new Microsoft Surface 3. But wait, you ask, isn't that the same tablet that was released last year? It may sound similar, but the Surface 3 is the smaller and more affordable follow-up to last year's Microsoft Surface Pro 3. Let's compare the two to see what's different in the new Surface 3.

Pricing and Performance The biggest difference between the two models isn't a feature or a part number, it's the price. The base model of the Surface Pro 3, outfitted with an Intel Core i3 processor and 64GB of local storage, is $799. Our review model of the system, which boasted an Intel Core i5 and 256GB solid-state drive, starts at $1,299. The Surface 3, on the other hand, is significantly less expensive, starting at $499 for an Intel Atom x7-Z8700 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD, and $599 for the same processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. That puts the Surface 3 in a much more affordable price range, but it does so with some significant differences in performance and capability.

Those differences in performance were most notable when we tested the tablet in processor-dependant tasks, like Photoshop and Handbrake. The difference was pretty stark—the smaller Surface 3 is great for things like jotting down notes, writing up papers, and browsing the Web, but for working with large spreadsheets and datasets, editing photo and video, or other tasks that demand processing power, the Surface Pro 3 is the winner, hands down. The Surface Pro 3 is nearly powerful enough to be a laptop replacement, while the Surface 3 is still best as a secondary device, or for less demanding users.

Size and Portability The new Surface 3 is a smaller device, measuring 10.52 by 7.36 by 0.34 inches (HWD), versus the Surface Pro 3's 11.5 by 8 by 0.36 inches (HWD). If the Surface Pro 3 was sized to match the dimensions of a letter-size sheet of paper, the smaller Surface 3 is more like a steno pad. It's also lighter, weighing just 1.4 pounds versus the 1.75 pounds of the Surface Pro 3. That's not a giant difference, but it's enough to make the larger tablet feel heavy and bulky.

The smaller size and lighter weight also make it more portable, since it's easier to use on the go and easier to fit into your bag. But perhaps the biggest boon to portability is the Surface 3's longer battery life of 9 hours 52 minutes, nearly an hour longer than the Surface Pro 3 (8:55).

Features Built into the chassis of both Surface tablets is an integrated kickstand that lets you prop the tablet up on a desk or table without having to hold it at the proper angle. This is especially useful when using it with the Surface Type Cover keyboard, which adds laptop-like capability to the slate tablet. However, while both systems have a kickstand, the Surface Pro 3 offers more adjustability with an adjustable kickstand that can be set anywhere from 22 to 150 degrees. The less expensive Surface 3 instead uses a 3-position kickstand that was less complex to manufacture.

Differences in size also mean a difference in display size. The Surface 3 has a 10.8-inch display with 1,920-by-1,280-pixel resolution. The Surface Pro 3 has both a larger size (12 inches) and higher resolution (2,160-by-1,440), but otherwise it offers the same 10-point touch and digitizer pen support.

One area where the Surface 3 actually offers a better option than its larger Pro sibling is with the built-in cameras. The Surface 3 features a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera and front-facing 3.5-megapixel webcam. By comparison, the Surface Pro 3 has a 5-megapixel camera on back, and a 1080p webcam, both of which have lower resolution and had some trouble with low-light image capture.

Accessories Microsoft has known all along that accessory sales can boost the profit margins for its Surface products, and has strategically sold the various models of the Surface without the keyboard covers that are necessary for laptop-like use. The Surface Pro 3, despite frequently selling for more than $1,000, does not include the Surface Pro Type Cover keyboard, but it does include the Surface Pen.

Similarly, the Surface 3 doesn't come with the keyboard cover, but also doesn't include the pen, meaning you'll have to get one or the other, or both, to get the full experience your tablet can offer. The Surface Type Cover sells for $129.99, and comes in red, bright red, blue, bright blue, and black, while the Surface Pen is $49.99, and comes in bare metal, red, blue, and black. All together, our $599 review unit would ring up at $789.98 with the keyboard cover and pen, nearly as expensive as the base model of the Surface Pro 3 itself.

There's not a clear choice between the two, since the Surface 3 and the Surface Pro 3 are aimed at such different groups of users. For the office worker who wants one device to use at their desk, and then pick it up to go to meetings or work while travelling, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a great product. For the user who wants something less expensive for use at home or school, however, the Microsoft Surface 3 is both more affordable and better suited to life on the go, though you will be slowed down in more demanding tasks. Ultimately both are very good products, and Microsoft has done well, both in showcasing the mobile capabilities of Windows and in setting the tone for the dozens of Windows tablets and hybrid devices we've seen in the last couple of years.

About the Author

Brian Westover is an Analyst for the Hardware Team, reviewing laptops, desktops, and storage devices.
As a child, Brian was frequently asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" His answer alternated between Superman and Batman. This was cute when he was five, but worrisome at seventeen. Naturally, he is now a journalist, writing about tec... See Full Bio

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